"Some little time," Tom admitted vaguely.
More clouds of cigar smoke ascended; then, shaking, and his face a sickly white and green, the president inquired:
"Reade, were you there—-you and Mr. Prescott—-at the time when I talked with Evarts on that very spot to-night?"
There was no use in evading the question, so engineer Reade answered in a straightforward manner:
"Yes, sir. Mr. Prescott and I were there."
"Then—-then—-y-y-you heard all of my talk with Evarts?"
"Yes, sir."
Bascomb's teeth began to chatter so that he was forced to steady his jaws.
Tom and Dick looked aside, pitying the man for his evident anguish of mind.
At last the president steadied himself enough to speak.
"Reade, I know I haven't been a very good friend of yours, and I even tried to work you out of this contract altogether. Now, you know my secret, and I'm in your power!"